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Chapter 4: From Dreams toward Truth

The priest of a church slept one night, and dreamed that he had reached the door of heaven. But the door was so big, he could not see where it started or where it finished. He tried very hard to gauge its size, but all he could see was a portion of the door. He knocked at the door, but what sound could his small hand make against that huge massive door? No sound came in that limitless silence. He knocked again but to no avail. He felt unhappy for he had always cherished the hope that God would be waiting with open arms when he reached heaven; for had he not worshipped him all his life? But here the door was closed and no matter how hard he knocked, there was no reply.

After a long time, however, a small side window opened and someone looked out. The padre was frightened at what he saw: an eye brighter than a thousand suns looked out at him. He cried out in fright: “Oh Lord, I have seen you and that is enough! Now please go behind the window and talk to me, for I cannot stand the brightness of your gaze.” But the voice behind the window said. “I am not God, I am a sentry here, but who are you? I cannot even see you. What a small person you are. Wherefrom have you lost your way?”

A thousand eyes could not locate him, so small and insignificant was he.

The padre felt so insignificant.

“I was under the impression I should meet God. This is only his footman!” he wailed to himself.

“Were you not informed of my coming?” asked the priest.

“This is the first time I have beheld a worm like you,” said the doorkeeper.

“Where are you coming from?”

“I am from the earth,” said the priest.

“Never heard the name before,” he said. “Where is it, this earth of yours?”

The priest skipped a heartbeat - his breath nearly stopped! If he has not heard about the earth, he could not be knowing about the Christian religion or the Catholic organization, much less of the Catholic church of his village. Then how could he ever know him, the priest of the church? Nevertheless, he tried to explain:

“There is a solar system and the earth is one of its planets.” he said.

“Have you any idea of the number of suns there are?” asked the doorkeeper.

Which sun are you talking about? What is the index number? If you can furnish the index number, perhaps we can locate this earth of yours.”

“Number?” gasped the priest “But we know of only one sun.”

“It is difficult to place you in that case,” said the sentry. “However, I shall try.”

So worked up was the priest in his fright and confusion, that he woke up with a start. He was soaked in perspiration. For the first time, he realized that the earth was of no consequence in the scheme of the vast universe.